The Price of Innocence
by MaddHatta21
Summary: "I can't die, not until I find that... certain someone"
1. Chapter 1

Yu Kanda slept, and while he slept he dreamed.

_**The sun had been bright, and despite the bitter cold Yu Kanda and his companion continued to make their way through the thick layer of snow covering the ground.**_

_**The girl trailed along behind him, he could hear her panting, obviously having more trouble walking in the mass of cool white left behind by last night snow storm. She wasn't complaining, and even if she had been it was likely that Kanda would have ignored her just the same.**_

_**He was surprised, though his face didn't show it, when she somehow managed to plow through the snow and to his side in a not so unusual burst of spastic energy. She was beaming at him, but he continued walking, paying her no mind.**_

_**"Yu!" She called as she fell back once again, "Isn't this fun? The snow, it's so beautiful! I bet we could build a snowman and faries would bring it to life!"**_

_**Yu Kanda kept walking, and even as she managed once more to tromp spastically to his side, the swordsman didn't stop. **_

_**The girl seemed unfazed by this, and grinned at him cheerily.**_

_**"Awww c'mon Kanda-kun! All work and no play... er..." she looked at him sheepishly, having forgotten the rest of the saying. He didn't bother to finish it for her.**_

_**"We aren't here to play. Keep up or go home."**_

_**There was a moment when the smile on her face was replaced with a saddened far away look, and Yu Kanda knew the girl was remembering the town she'd called home so long ago. Any other man might have felt guilty for being so harsh, but Kanda kept walking.**_

_**Eventually her smile came back, it ALWAYS came back.**_

_**She caught up to him again, and gave him a breathless grin and two thumbs up. "Only four miles to go! If we make it by nightfall the old lady might make us some soup!"**_

_**Kanda rolled his eyes, and kept walking.**_

When Yu Kanda woke up, the snow storm had blown over. He had opened his eyes, expecting for a moment, to see a young brown eyed girl across the fire pit from him,cup of steaming coffee in hand. He shouldn't have been irritated to look up and find Allen Walker and the Junior bookman fast asleep instead.

He climbed out of the bunker hole, with unusual ease, and began to walk without bothering to wake the others.

The faster he found the innocence, the faster he could get back to the order, he didn't have time to waste on dreaming.

Still, as he stomped through the snow, Yu Kanda kept expecting to hear her tromping along behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Yu Kanda stormed through the snow covered forest, searching for any sign of akuma.

As he reached the top of a large hill he could see the city of June smoldering below.

His grip on Mugen tightened as his mind called up a distant memory of the place.

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>If you close your eyes you can see it, the changing of the sun. The dancing clouds are witness, to a sky that comes undone-"<strong>_

"_**Stop singing."**_

_**The girl ahead of Kanda laughed, her dress flaring out around her as she twirled around to look at him.**_

"_**Hey Yu! I can see June from here!"  
><strong>_

_**He scowled at her, it was their first day off in months and he most certainly did NOT want to spend it shopping in June.**_

_**She darted down the hill, laughing all the while and Kanda twitched, having half a mind to leave her here and return to headquarters.**_

_**"Yu! You're coming right? I want you to see the parade!"**_

_**For some reason he found himself following that irritating voice.**_

* * *

><p>"Yu! Wait up!"<p>

Kanda twitched visibly unsheathing Mugen in an instant, "I told you not to call me that you stupid rabbit."

The junior bookman put his hands up in surrender as his friend approached the two of them, breathless.

"The whole city is in ruins," Allen pointed out.

Kanda sheathed Mugen and stormed off down the hill.


	3. Chapter 3

At the bottom of the hill, on the outskirts of June there was a tiny little cottage- at least, there used to be.

"_**Granny Masashi! Granny Masashi! Are you home? We came for a visit!"**_

_**Yu stopped, his hands in his pockets as he waited on the old hag to open the door and let them in.**_

_**The girl was giddy with anticipation as the door swung open to reveal a kind looking elderly woman, "Alma! It's been a very long time. How nice to see you!"**_

_**The old woman embraced the brightly grinning girl, and Kanda scoffed.**_

_**"I see you've brought Yu along as well, how nice. The two of you must be cold. Come in and I'll make you both some soup!"**_

_**Kanda was about to snap 'don't call me Yu' when Alma bent over backwards and gave him a lopsided smile. "Hurry up Yu! We'll let all the warm air out!"**_

Kanda stormed passed the ruins, resisting the urge to stop and stare at it. He kept moving forward, pretending he hadn't glimpsed the ruins that remained; pretending that he didn't hear an echo of happy laughter.


End file.
